1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a printer that forms desired print on a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known printers that form desired print on a print-receiving medium. According to this printer of prior art, desired print is formed by printing means on a print-receiving medium fed by feeding means. Further, this printer comprises a half-cutting unit that partially cuts the print-receiving medium in a thickness direction. The print-receiving medium after print formation is partially cut in the thickness direction by cooperation between a movable blade and a blade receiving member included in the half-cutting unit. The advancing and retreating movement of the movable blade that performs the partial cutting is performed by a driving force of a motor.
However, depending on the user application and model, a printer such as described above may be driven by a battery. In such a case, the motor is driven by current from the battery. At this time, a constant voltage circuit may be provided to ensure that the voltage supplied to the motor does not become transitionally excessive (so that the voltage does not become greater than a rated voltage of the motor, for example). The constant voltage circuit is capable of outputting a predetermined constant voltage to a secondary side based on a primary-side voltage supplied from the battery stored in a battery storage part.
Nevertheless, since the constant voltage circuit exhibits the voltage adjusting function described above, voltage drops up to a certain level in the interior of the constant voltage circuit cannot be avoided. Accordingly, when the battery is consumed due to usage of the printer and the electromotive force has gradually decreased, the voltage supplied to the motor can decrease relatively quickly to or below a minimum voltage capable of driving the movable blade (in an amount equivalent to the voltage drop in the constant voltage circuit). As a result, the partial cutting of the print-receiving medium cannot be executed, resulting in inconvenience.